Why Do Men go Bald? (& What You Can Actually Do About It)

You're not imagining it. The hairline that used to be your pride and joy is now starting to look different. You may be seeing more scalp in your selfies or noticing more hairs on your pillow than usual.

Now you're staring at the mirror and wondering, why do men go bald?

The good news? You're not alone. Millions of guys, just like you, are asking the same thing. And the answer all points to genetics!

Let's look at the science behind male pattern baldness and what you can do about it, all without the medical jargon or the doom and gloom.

The Main Culprit: Genetics

The quick answer to this baldness question is in your genes. Most men who lose hair face a genetic condition known as androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, the most common type of progressive hair loss in men.

Look at the men in your family. If they're bald, you might have it too. But before blaming mom and dad, these genes can come from either your mother's or your father's side. If you've got the genes, your hair follicles are super sensitive to certain hormones like DHT, which is the real villain in this story.

But don't worry, you're in good company. According to the American Hair Loss Association:

• 95% of hair loss in men is caused by androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness

• At age 35, two-thirds of American men will experience hair loss

• At age 50, 85% of men will have thinning hair

• 25% of men with male pattern baldness start losing hair before turning twenty-one years old.

Hormones and DHT: How They Wreck Your Hairline

Meet DHT or dihydrotestosterone. DHT is the key player in hair loss for men with a genetic predisposition to baldness.

First, DHT attaches to hair follicles, which causes them to shrink and produce thinning hair. Eventually, follicles stop producing hair altogether.

Why Do Guys Go Bald More Than Women?

Men, with their higher testosterone levels, are more prone to baldness due to increased DHT. In contrast, women's estrogen levels help protect their follicles, resulting in a different pattern of hair loss that typically occurs later in life (female pattern baldness).

Fun fact: Women use the Ludwig scale for female pattern baldness tracking, while men use the Hamilton-Norwood scale.

Evolutionary Perspective: Is There a Point to Baldness?

Some scientists think that balding might have been an evolutionary advantage. Think about it. A bald scalp could signify maturity, wisdom, or social status. Like nature's saying, "This guy's been around the block."

Some suggest balding exposes our skin to more sun, which increases vitamin D absorption - something that naturally decreases as we age - and to UV radiation, which can apparently help prevent prostate cancer.

Others say balding is just a harmless byproduct of our genes and hormonal changes, with no real purpose.

Either way, if you're balding, you're part of a club that's been around for a LONG time.

Lifestyle Factors That Speed Up Balding

You can't do anything about your genes, but your daily habits can impact hair growth and how fast you lose your hair:

• Poor Diet: Lack of protein, iron, Vitamin D, and other nutrients can lead to thinning hair. Learn more about hair vitamins that result in healthy hair follicles.

• Smoking: Smoking causes hair loss and hair thinning. If you want new hair growth, kick the habit!

• Stress: Stress can cause temporary hair loss or telogen effluvium. The good news is that hair growth may occur once stress triggers are dealt with.

• Scalp Neglect: Tight hats and hairstyles, harsh styling, and not keeping your scalp clean may help hasten hair loss or thinning.

A quick note: While male pattern baldness is the most common cause of men's hair loss, sudden or patchy hair loss or hair loss with itching, redness, or pain should be checked by a doctor. It could be a sign of alopecia areata, thyroid issues, or a reaction to medication.

Certain medications, such as chemotherapy, antidepressants, and steroids, can induce hair thinning and further hair loss.

Can You Prevent It?

The Bald Truth? If you're genetically predisposed to pattern hair loss, you can't stop it but can slow it down. Sorry, guys, but male pattern baldness equals permanent hair loss; affected areas of the scalp will never grow back naturally.

How do you know if you have it? Male pattern baldness starts at the temples, front of the scalp, and crown of the head. If you notice a receding hairline, an "M" shaped hairline, or what we call the "McDonald's logo," you've got male pattern baldness.

You can refer to the Hamilton-Norwood scale to classify male pattern baldness. If you've heard of the Ludwig scale, that's for female pattern hair loss and not male pattern hair loss.

What to do If You're Going Bald?

You have four options if you're going bald or have a receding hairline: Fight it with treatments (losing battle if you have male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia), style it, wear wigs, shave it all off, or the least likely is not to do anything and continue to rock a "power donut" like Ed Harris, Danny DeVito, or the late Sean Connery.

Treatments for Hair Loss

The only FDA-approved treatments for male pattern baldness are minoxidil (topical foam or solution) and oral finasteride (daily pill). Minoxidil increases blood flow to the scalp to stimulate hair growth. On the other hand, finasteride blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Both hair loss treatments work best when started early; some even take them together and achieve better results. Just remember that these medications have side effects.

A hair transplant is an option for a more permanent solution, but it's expensive and invasive. During hair transplant surgery, healthy hair follicles are moved from the back/sides of your head to thinning areas.

Style it or Wear Wigs

Suppose you're balding in the earlier stages of the Norwood scale. There are haircuts or styles for balding men that you can choose to make you look sharp. Wearing wigs (as long as they don't slip) is another option, but if you walk outside on a windy day and your wig flies off, it can be an embarrassing experience.

Shaving it Clean

Many men have shaved their heads and loved it. Tools like Freebird's FlexSeries have sold over a million shavers, proving how many have chosen to shave it clean.

If you're ready to join the club, the FlexSeries Pro is one of the best head shavers you can buy. You can read our article on the best head shavers for men for more choices.

Once you've embraced head shaving, you must learn about bald head care to kick start your bald journey!

Power Donut, Anyone?

Some say this is the worst hairstyle for bald men, and I agree. Unless you're Connery or DeVito, who owned it, but if you like your look, rock it with confidence!

Are you supporting someone who's going through hair loss? The best thing you can do is listen and offer encouragement. For tips on what to say and how, read our article on how to tell someone to shave their head.

The Bottom Line

Whether you're fighting to keep every strand or ready to embrace the bald lifestyle, remember you're not alone, and you've got options.

Baldness is normal and nothing to be ashamed of. Confidence is the best style you can wear along with your smooth dome.

What do Statham, Johnson, and Diesel have in common? They're confident, successful, and rock the bald look!

Ready to start your new journey? Read our Beginner's Guide for Baldies to help you get on the right track.

If you've decided to take the leap, the FlexSeries Pro is the first purchase you should make.

Get one for only $59.95!

FAQs

Is it Possible to Reverse Baldness Naturally?

For most guys with male pattern baldness, reversing hair loss naturally isn't realistic. Once those follicles shrink from genetics and DHT, they're not coming back with home remedies. Natural methods like a healthy diet, stress management, and scalp care are effective treatments for temporary hair loss (from stress or nutrition), but they won't regrow hair lost to genetics. FDA-approved treatments or embracing the bald look are your best bets for real results.

Can You Prevent Male Pattern Baldness?

You can't prevent it, but in some instances, you can slow it down with early treatment and a healthy lifestyle.

Does Wearing Hats Cause Hair Loss?

Nope, that's a myth. Hats don't cause baldness, but wearing tight ones may lead to hair loss known as traction alopecia.

At What Age Do Most Men Start Going Bald?

Some guys notice thinning as early as their late teens or 20s. By 35, about two-thirds of men will experience some hair loss.

Can Diet Affect Hair Loss?

Absolutely. Poor nutrition can worsen hair loss, especially if you're low in protein, iron, or vitamins.

Is Hair Loss Inherited from Your Father or Mother?

Both! You can inherit the genes from either side of your family. Scientists have found that male pattern baldness is polygenic-meaning many genes, not just one, influence it, and these can come from either side of your family. The AR gene on the X chromosome plays a significant role but is not the only factor.